Singin’ in the Reign!
DARK AVENGERS #5
WRITER: Brian Michael Bendis
ART: Mike Deodato
COLOR ART: Rain Beredo
LETTERER: Cory Petit
PLOT:
Norman Osborn sits for a television interview, making sure the interviewer received the list of approved questions. Norman responds to Clint Barton’s public accusations from New Avengers #50 by explaining that he was the Green Goblin at one point because of a chemical imbalance he was born with, but he has since sought and received help and stands cured. Since his recovery, he claims, other individuals have donned the Goblin identity, meaning he did not actually commit most of the crimes associated with the villain. Norman goes on to say that the aborted Skrull invasion gave humanity one big second chance, of which his own redemption is a part. He refuses to reveal the identities of his Avengers, citing their need for privacy. An Atlantean attack on Los Angeles cuts the talk short.
Brian Bendis intersperses this interview between vignettes of the Avengers’ down time. As Iron Patriot, Norman talks Sentry down from a near-episode. Ares smacks Bullseye into shape (highlight of the issue!) and goes home to find his son, Secret Warriors member Phobos, missing. Moonstone seduces Marvel Boy, who begins to learn that he didn’t join the team of heroes he expected.
THOUGHTS:
Finally, Dark Avengers tackles the question of how Norman sells his position to the American public. This should have happened six months ago. To those of us intimately aware of Osborn’s history, his speech rings like a hollow string of lies, but I can see how his half-truths and manipulated words might deceive a Marvel Universe man-on-the-street. It’s unfortunate, actually, that we never see that lay person’s perspective. I’d gladly trade the redundant Sentry sequence or Marvel Boy’s uncharacteristic naivety for a few pages of citizen reactions. Still, this issue moves the contrived Dark Reign premise into the realm of comic book plausibility.
Though informative and necessary, the issue feels too slow. It lacks the psychological layers characteristic of great Norman Osborn stories, and Osborn’s complete control over himself and his situation deprives it of urgency. Norman Osborn should be fighting against loosing his marbles when on camera, even if he does have the network in his pocket. Bendis presents him as a straightforward crafty politician with a silver tongue. It’s solid writing, but I miss the intensity Warren Ellis brought to the character.
Visually, the comic wastes Mike Deodato’s talent. I understand filling a page with talking heads against a black background in perfectly square panel grids simulates watching the interview on TV, but keeping that up for half an issue makes this the first Dark Avengers not worth buying for the art alone. Also, the habit of reusing art from panel to panel has to stop. Sometimes it serves a legitimate storytelling purpose, like when Norman spends a beat mentally preparing for his interview, but when I see the same shot of the back of his head repeated seven pages later, it makes the book look cheap. I realize Marvel wants to make sure their top-selling title comes out monthly (more or less), but they need to find a better way than putting out a half-assed product, especially one for which they charge a premium.
Deodato does manage to squeeze in a few pages truly worthy of him. The stunning Atlantean onslaught comes to mind, both for its beauty and because of the implicit ramifications within the story. Bendis and Deodato are demigods of the artform when they let loose. They just need to try a little harder to bring Dark Avengers up to par with their best work.
FAVORITE QUOTE:
“You don’t hit me.”
“I slapped you. If I hit you, you’d be broken.”
RATING:
3.5 out of 5. A well-earned character-driven issue that addresses some burning questions.
REVIEWED BY: CrazyChris
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Don’t hold your breath doc.
As for this issue, I agree marvels boys naivety is really out of character (even given how bendis wrote him in illumanti, let alone how he acted in morrison’s marvel boy) but maybe we can all put that down to his first time with a human female, makes idiots out of most guys after all.
I’d actually forgotten Ares son was part of the secret warriors so thanks for reminding me Chris. As for Normans master of spin, look at Dick Chenys interview last week were he flat out denied having intel about 9/11 before it happened, spin-doctors like this are the master of the art.
I would find any story that centers around Norman’s trial/The public’s perception of Norman over the years/How exactly Norman ended up in SHIELD custody/etc to be entertaining, i’m sorry if you don’t agree, but thats just my opinion…and i also think those stories would shed light (and enhance) the stories currently being churned out in DR…
As far as former Bugle employees being at the Frontline now…theres one former employee not at Frontline that is aware of Norman’s ‘real’ life…JJJ, MAYOR of NYC…he’s probably got a little pull/influence/evidence to bring Norman down…but i guess we’ll have to wait on that…
Marvel could address every single one of those points and fill volumes doing so, but it wouldn’t be very entertaining to read. It’s a lot more efficient just to say Norman is a master spin doctor with powerful connections, and any truly damning evidence that can’t be swept under the rug, twisted to his advantage, or bribed or whacked into silence can just be chalked up to a past mental disorder that he claims he’s been cured of. You can pretty much figure out the answer to any specific point under that broader principle. The evidence that put him in jail are for crimes he commited when he was ill and couldn’t control himself. He has nobel prize winning doctors willing to attest to that. The people who worked at the Bugle who were convinced of his guilt now work at Frontline, which seems more like an alternative paper that no one pays much attention to as opposed to the mainstream DB, which has publically retracted their stories about Norman. You don’t need a mindwipe for this, you just need a nation full of gullible people with short memories.
That may be Mac, b/c that’s certainly the angle Urich is pitching in ASM, but there was evidence at some point somewhere that got him placed in jail, and Urich alludes to having ‘facts’ at the end of Legacy of Evil…not to mention every person at the Bugle who appears convinced about the true Norman, and who have first hand accounts of his madness…unless…Spidey’s mindwipe erased the link between Norman and Urich as well…and any other crucial link within the Spiderverse…ugh
You’d think this would be a nice spot to have Roderick Kingsley come back and undermine Norman…i’m sure Songbird would be willing to help as well…
As far as the praying…Oh what a merciful Deity he would have to be to take Norman back into the flock…;)
“It’s political double-speak, Folsome. It’s not supposed to make sense under scrutiny, it’s supposed to quell the minds of an ignorant and suggestible populace.”
Hey, Norman was prayin’ in a couple of panels. I’m convinced of his sincerity!
I think that Ben knows that Norm is the Goblin, but also knows that he can’t prove it.
You may be right about the ignorant public, Chris…But Ben Urich should know better…overall though, this is by far one of the best books of DR thus far…
i think this issue served its purpose very well. Bendis is a master of character-driven stories
It’s political double-speak, Folsome. It’s not supposed to make sense under scrutiny, it’s supposed to quell the minds of an ignorant and suggestible populace. I just finished a political science degree and, trust me, any sentence that starts with “the public has to be aware” is already wrong. Never underestimate how uninformed and uncritical the vast majority of America is. You can’t expect them to see that the pieces won’t fit because they honestly won’t even try. You can’t expect them to think too hard about the contradictions they are holding in their head. That’s why it’s called doublethink.
When Norman was caught in Pulse 5, JJJ begins re-establishing credibilty to Urichs original claims about Normans role as the Goblin. The public has to be aware of the worst of his crimes…if they are not, then Marvel needs to establish what exact crimes Norman was imprisoned for in MK SpiderMan…again though, if the public is aware, then being vague serves him no purpose…they’re aware of his crimes and have dismissed it as the result of his ‘chemical imbalance’…
“He should just embace it and admit to everything, the public will probably still love him…”
That would be incredibly implausible. This way, he can have his cake and eat it too. He can give the public the impression that he’s badass who can protect them, but he can still be vague about which specific crimes he commited.
I know the woman had ‘approved’ questions, but when is the Marvel U gonna ask Norman/Iron Patriot why there are now two wolverines and two spider-men running around? dont they notice? If the general populace is aware that Norman was caught, tried, and jailed when he was outed as the Goblin (the Pulse), i’m not sure i understand the significance of his confession here…everyone already knew he had been the Goblin, i’ll concede that he’s ‘officially’ admitting it now, but still…He should just embace it and admit to everything, the public will probably still love him… Finally, Deodato adds to his list of hollywood inspired sketches with a Marvel Boy/Leo Dicaprio combo, imo…